


June 1940

by Name_Surname



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, F/F, Homophobia, I started this over the summer and im posting it now even if it's not the best, Minor Character Death, World War II, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 03:57:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16256198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Name_Surname/pseuds/Name_Surname
Summary: Cheryl doesn't know much about Riverdale asides from the three things her cousins have told her, those being,1. It snows for half year2. Everyone knows everyone's business3. She should stay away from Toni TopazORCheryl and Jason are evacuated to Riverdale at the beginning of world war 2 and Cheryl is intrigued by the towns social pariah, Toni Topaz





	June 1940

**June 1940**

Cheryl stared out the train window glumly. The train cart juddered along the tracks causing Cheryl to sway side to side. She didn’t bother trying to hold herself steady. What was the point? Her life was over. How dare daddy send them away! She’d never even met her uncle Harold before. She knew that he had a daughter her age, Elizabeth. Their christmas cards were signed that way.  _ Harold, Alice, Pauline & Elizabeth.  _

 

What a perfect family. Cheryl turned her nose up at the thought of living with them. This other girl, Pauline, wasn’t even her uncle Harold’s daughter. His wife Alice was widowed before the girl was even born. She wasn’t Cheryl’s family and she was expected to live with them for, well,  who knows how long.

 

People said the city was too dangerous for children, what do they know? Cheryl’s fifteen she can take care of herself. She isn’t a child. She won’t be getting an education down here no doubt. Do children in the country even go to school? She’d know doubt be the smartest in the house. Possibly on par with Jason, but definitely better than some country kids.

 

She cast her brother an uninterested look. He was reading some Ernest Hemingway book whilst eating a triangle of the cheese sandwich he had packed with him. He offered Cheryl half of it, Cheryl could’ve gotten sick at the sight of it. Instead she declined. She wasn’t hungry anyway. She hadn’t been hungry since she was informed she would have to live on a  _ farm _ . 

 

She was  _ Cheryl Blossom _ . Her family was one of the wealthiest there was and she was going to be stuck in some stinky farm house. The rooms were probably going to be cramped and it was no doubt going to be filthy. People down the country don’t know what cleanliness is. 

 

“Only two more stops.” Jason told her as he looked out the window as the train pulled into a station. 

 

“I wish this train would go slower.” Cheryl grumbled. She missed their car. She seldom went anywhere by train. It felt wrong, like she was third class. 

 

“It might be nice.” Jason shrugged, moving his gaze back down to his book. “Meeting more of our family.” 

 

Cheryl didn’t need anymore family. She had Jason what more could she want. Jason could long for more family all he wanted but Cheryl knew it was worthless. Jason was the only good person in their family. She already knew that. No Harold’s or Elizabeth’s could change that.

 

Cheryl watched as field’s passed them by. Tall grass bowed down as the train steamed passed it at a fierce speed. Cheryl wished it slowed down but alas a conductor boarded on chanting  _ Riverdale  _ three times loudly. Jason helped Cheryl with her case and the pair departed the train. Cheryl doesn’t know what her uncle Harold looks like. She moved closer to Jason as the pair stood on the platform unsure of where to go. Jason always made her feel safe. Nothing could go wrong when Jason was near her. She wanted to hold his hand, so she knew he was  _ really  _ there. Mother discouraged it, she said it was unbecoming of a young lady. 

 

“Where do we go now?” Cheryl asked him nervously. The platform was practically empty. There was an elderly couple sitting on a bench watching as trains passed and a gentleman who had disembarked when they had.

 

“I suppose we should wait out the front for someone.” Jason suggested. Cheryl nodded. She lifted her case. There wasn’t nearly as much in it as she had wanted to bring but she hoped this stay wouldn’t be for that long. 

 

The twins walked slowly through the train station and out towards the front. Dirt roads lead away from it. They weren't even paved. Cheryl was in disbelief that this is where she was. It was demeaning to put Blossom’s here. Cheryl stared down at her pumps. They were going to get ruined here.

 

Jason looked around for someone who might be waiting on them. Cheryl trailed behind him begrudgingly. There was a blonde woman standing by the front of the train station. She wore her hair down in loose curls and she wasn’t dressed  _ terribly _ . She seemed as annoyed to be waiting at this train station as Cheryl felt being at one.

 

“Pardon, are you Alice Cooper?” Jason asked a little apprehensively. It surprised Cheryl normally her brother was very sure of himself. He never tripped over his words or second guessed himself. Neither did she. Her father didn’t like that.

 

“I take it you two are Jason and Cheryl.” She said, peering down at them. She wasn’t that much taller than her but under her gaze Cheryl felt tiny.

 

“Yes ma’am.” Jason answered. Cheryl nodded. 

 

“The house is only a five minute walk this way. Your train came late.” Alice grumbled as she stood straight from the fence she was leaning against. She began to lead the way to the house.

 

Cheryl was surprised the train was late it felt like they were only on it for a moment. That’s all it took for her life to change. A moment. 

 

Alice didn’t speak to them again for the entire walk to the house. Cheryl appreciated that. She didn’t want to talk to her. This woman wasn’t even her actual aunt. They shared no blood. 

 

Alice opened the door of the house. It lead into a rather spacious kitchen. It seemed cluttered with things, pots on the stove, food on the counters, cutlery set on the table. 

 

“I suppose I should show you to your room.” Alice mumbled. She seemed disinterested in this whole thing. Cheryl felt that way too.

 

Cheryl followed Alice out of the kitchen and towards the back of the house. The timber floors were worn and their once tan colour now seemed a faded grey. Alice opened the door for them leading into a cramped room. There was a bunk bed in it with extra blankets bundled on top of them, a vanity set with the handle missing off one of the drawers, a fireplace with black scorch marks around it and a wardrobe.

 

“I hope you don’t mind sharing a room, this used to be Polly’s room.” Alice informed them. Cheryl doubted she  _ actually  _ cared if her and Jason had to share. She wondered if she wanted them to feel guilty that they were taking Polly’s room on her. Cheryl didn’t.

 

Jason turned to Alice with a smile,“Thank you.” Cheryl furrowed her brow. She felt him elbow her in the side. She spat out her last breath before mumbling her thanks. 

 

Alice squinted her eyes at Cheryl. They both hoped this bomb threat was sorted soon. 

 

Alice left them to unpack. She informed them that dinner would be in an hour.

 

“It’s nice isn’t it?” Jason asked her. Cheryl raised a brow and him confused. “The countryside, I mean.” 

 

Cheryl didn’t answer him, his wrong opinions wouldn’t sway her. She would be home soon. She opened her case and wondered if she should bother unpacking.

 

They heard a scuffling outside. A whispered argument that ended with a blonde girl being pushed through their door. She looked a little shell shocked and wide eyed as Jason and Cheryl stared at her in surprise.

 

“Hi, em, I’m Betty.” She introduced with a small wave of her hand. Cheryl squinted her eyes at her. She had assumed Elizabeth would have red hair like them. “And this is Polly.” She pulled another blonde girl through the door. Polly clearly being the culprit of why Betty fell through the door as her cheeks were bright red.

 

The girl’s looked similar, you could hardly tell they had different fathers. Her uncle must really care for this Alice woman if he is letting Polly live in his home. Cheryl knows her father wouldn’t allow a child that wasn’t his to live under their roof. 

 

“Hi I’m Jason and this is Cheryl.” He smiled. Why was he so happy about all of this? “Wow, you two are nearly like twins.”

 

“Well it’s a bit easier to tell you two apart.” Betty giggled. Cheryl rolled her eyes, she didn’t like this girl. Her cousin. 

 

“Yeah, I suppose it would be. Thanks for giving us your room Polly.” 

 

The taller blonde smiled at him. Cheryl hated it here.

 

****

Cheryl wore a pair of Betty’s  _ jeans  _ as they walked through neighbouring fields. Betty was going to introduce them to her friends under Alice’s suggestion. Cheryl didn’t have many friends back home, her studies took up too much time. Betty has finished her schooling, she works at the local grocers in the mornings. Polly attends some day school where they teach her how to sew and cook and clean. A horrible way to pass the time, Cheryl thinks.

 

“Are their many people our age here?” Jason asked as they stepped over long grass. 

 

“Yeah we’re a pretty big town at this stage.” Betty informed. “This is Archie’s house.” She pointed at a house coming towards them.

 

Cheryl was surprised that Betty was friends with boys. Mother never liked her socialising with  _ young men  _ if they weren’t ones of her picking. She wondered if Alice had to approve of this young man.

 

Betty knocked on the door. It was painted red, Cheryl could appreciate that. A boy their age answered it with red hair like herself and Jason. He looked more like their cousin than Betty.

 

“Betty, your cousins are here.” He greeted.

 

Cheryl wasn’t surprised Betty had spoken about them. They were big news for this small resting stop of a town.

 

“Hi I’m Jason.” 

 

Why was he so goddamn chipper?!

 

“Cheryl.” She practically bit.

 

None of Betty’s friends took to Cheryl all too well. Cheryl didn’t care.

 

**August 1940**

 

Her Uncle Hal got deployed. Cheryl didn’t even know he had applied to fight. Alice, Betty and Polly cried for a week after he left. From what Cheryl heard on the radio’s they were winning, she doesn’t know why they are so distraught. Nevertheless Betty was too upset to work for that week. So Cheryl had to fill in for her. She didn’t want to, of course she didn’t. She hated working and everyone in this town. But Betty was going to lose her job if she didn’t help her out for the week. Betty’s money helped feed them, so it in her best interest to help.

 

Jason probably would have stepped up first if he hadn’t agreed to take over the farm for Hal in his absence. Jason didn’t know a thing about animals or agriculture, Cheryl thinks that is the stupidest thing he could have agreed to. 

 

Still Cheryl stood behind the till of the grocers wrapping fruit and vegetables in brown paper packages for little old ladies. Cheryl doesn’t think she has ever stood on her feet for so long. They started to ache. 

 

A gang of three kids her age walked into the shop. They had their hands in their pockets and a shady look about them. Cheryl was  _ not _ above profiling. She knows a degenerate when she sees one. But Cheryl also didn’t care if the store got robbed so she played with the stickers behind the till as the three kids looped their way around the shop, eyeing up the produce.

 

“There’s never anything fresh here anymore.” One of them grumbled putting a bruised and small apple back on the shelf. 

 

“There’s kind of a war going on, idiot.” Cheryl grumbled under her breath. It was more to entertain herself than to put down the other kid but he heard her. 

 

He looked up at her, his face scrunched up with anger.“What did you just say?” 

 

His short friends face light up with excitement. Cheryl mistook her for a boy when she walked in since she was dressed like one but upon further inspection she was most definitely a girl.

 

“I said there is a war going on, genius. You’re only getting what can be grown here.” 

 

The smaller girl smirked at her and Cheryl felt her cheeks flush. She doesn’t know why she wanted the shorter girls approval but it felt nice. 

 

“This store is shit. Let’s go somewhere else.” He grumbled, throwing an arm in the air telling the others to follow him.

 

The shorter girl rolled her eyes. “Sorry about him. He just misses his fruit.” She laughed. “You don’t normally work here.” 

 

“Nope.” Cheryl said popping the ‘p’. The leaned forward, crossing her arms over the counter.

 

“Are you the city girl staying with the Cooper’s?” She asked with a quirk of a brow. Cheryl found herself noticing every small movement the other girl made. 

 

“That would be me.” Cheryl admitted. 

 

“They must be a barrel of laughs.” Toni said sarcastically. Cheryl smiled at her. She doesn’t think she had smiled in a while.

 

“I’m still getting used to them.” Cheryl told her with a shrug of the shoulders.

 

“Well if you need a break from them, come find me.” She offered. “Toni Topaz.” She extended a hand out to Cheryl.

 

Cheryl took it and gave it a shake. “Cheryl Blossom.”

 

“I hope to see you around.” Toni told her and gave her a salute before going off to join her friends.

 

Cheryl couldn’t get the image of her out of her head all day. 

 

That evening at tea Cheryl asked about her. “Betty, do you know Toni Topaz?”

Betty nearly dropped the butter knife from her hand, her jaw hanging loose.

 

“Why? Did she try to hurt you?” She asked in a panic. Her eyes scanning over Cheryl for an injury. 

 

“What? No, she just came into the store today.” Cheryl said confused, Betty didn’t seem to like this Toni girl. 

 

“I bet they stole something. That’s what their kind do.” Polly announced bitterly as she buttered her bread.

 

It was Cheryl’s turn for her jaw to slack. She knew that a lot of small town people were bigots but she was hoping it wasn’t the case here. “Because she’s bl-” Cheryl started hesitantly.

 

“No because she’s a  _ lesbian _ .” Betty declared with wide eyes. Cheryl’s brow furrowed. She never met a lesbian before, at least she doesn’t think she has. She said the word ‘ _ Lesbian _ ’ through gritted teeth, as though it was a sin in itself to say the word.

 

“Is that not that girl that was with Jughead for a while? Maybe she’s just confused.” Alice offered as she spread jam across her toast.

 

Cheryl found her appetite was missing.

 

“Trust me, I saw her and some girl kissing by Sweetwater River. It was disgusting.” Polly proclaimed. 

 

Cheryl excused herself from the table.

 

That night she dreamt she was the girl with Toni Topaz at Sweetwater River. 

 

She felt as though she had sinned when she woke up.

 

*****

 

“Hey it’s you.” A voice said, running up towards her. Cheryl turned her head to see Toni running towards her. She had a smile on her face. She was dressed more like a girl today, Cheryl noted.

 

“It’s me.” Cheryl repeated, her voice sounding a little uncomfortable. Toni noticed and frowned. She stood in front of Cheryl.

 

“Are you okay?” She asked with a quirk of her brow. 

 

“What they say about you, is it true?” Cheryl asked her with a sigh. 

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Toni folded her arms over her chest.

 

“Polly says that you like girls.” Cheryl shrugged, averting her eyes so she wouldn’t have to meet Toni’s eyes. 

 

“So you asked about me?” Toni asked. She sounded amused. Cheryl shifted her weight between her feet. “You didn’t strike me as a small minded person, red.” 

 

“I amn’t. I don’t care. I was just asking.” Cheryl quickly replied unsure of what she wanted to say. She didn’t care if Toni liked girls but she did care what people might say if they saw her with Toni.

 

“Hmm.” Toni mused. Cheryl looked up at, the sun caught her at just the right angle and her skin seemed golden. Cheryl stared at the exposed skin between her neck and her shoulder and quenched the urge she had to pepper it with kisses.

 

She has never felt like this before. 

 

“Where you off to anyway?” Toni asked Cheryl after a bit. 

 

“I’m posting a letter.” Cheryl answered holding the little brown envelope up so Toni could see. Toni nodded.

 

“Mind if I walk with. The butchers is nearby and I’m picking up dinner.” Toni asked.

 

Cheryl nodded.

 

Toni talked for most the walk and Cheryl listened. She couldn’t see why everyone had such an adverse reaction to her. Her school used to always encourage female friendships. They said it encouraged independence to have such a close bond with one other. But Cheryl knew her mother's stance on an  _ intimate _ female friendship. 

 

Toni’s voice was soft. Cheryl felt that she could fall into a sweet slumber to it, not that what Toni said bored her. Far from it in fact. Toni’s stories were incredibly surreal. Cheryl could never imagine that the life of someone living in Riverdale could be so interesting. It put her own life of schooling, piano practice and painting to shame.  Toni was a very unique character in herself and Cheryl was intrigued.

 

**September 1940**

 

Despite it only being September, Riverdale got cold very fast. Cheryl was covering up more and more each time she went out. Her aunt Alice was always very confused each time Cheryl left the house by herself. She was aware that Cheryl didn’t get along great with Betty’s friends and she hated staying in in the evening to play cards with Polly and Jason. She would ask Cheryl where she was going each time Cheryl ventured out of the house and each time she did Cheryl told her she was running errands.

 

Alice didn’t believe her but she also didn’t care enough to push Cheryl any further. Cheryl fastened her jacket shut and headed out of the house to her and Toni’s meeting place. They’d hung out together practically every day for the last month.

 

Cheryl was out of her shell a bit more and Toni was more and more enamoured by the red haired beauty with each passing day.

 

“How did you know?” Cheryl asked, they were lying by the banks of Sweetwater River. The long grass tickled the backs of her bare knees. Cheryl contemplated wearing tights tomorrow.

 

“Know what?” Toni asked, turning to look at Cheryl. 

 

“That you liked girls.” Cheryl finished. She fiddled her hand amongst the grass to give her mind something else to focus on instead of the intense beating in her chest.

 

“I don’t recall ever confirming that to you, bombshell.” Toni joked. Cheryl sighed and turned to face Toni. “There was never any big thing, just a lot of small things. I like guys too.” Cheryl nodded. “Why do you ask?”

 

“I think you’re really pretty.” Cheryl admitted, biting her lip. “And that scares me.”

 

“That you might like girls?” Toni asked, reaching across to grab Cheryl’s hand, taking it away from it’s task of pulling out the strands of grass.

 

Cheryl swallowed hard and closed her eyes. “It scares me that I might like you.” 

 

“Why does that scare you?” Toni asked moving closer.

 

Cheryl squirmed a little, arching her back. “People wouldn’t understand. They wouldn't accept us. It wouldn’t be like courting a man. Mother and Father would have an aneurysm.”

 

“I feel like that too sometimes.”

 

Cheryl finally met her gaze. “You do?” Cheryl asked surprised. Toni always seemed very sure of herself.

 

“Of course I do. My parents have basically shunned me. I am living out of the goodness of my friends, sometimes I feel like there is no one else like me. No one who could truly understand.” 

 

Cheryl moved closer again until there wasn’t much space between them. Their legs fitting together like a perfect puzzle. Their faces inches apart from each other, heads being held by their hands, elbows digging into the earthy ground bellow.

 

Cheryl felt that everything moved very slowly. Toni closed the space between the faces, pressing her lips against Cheryl’s. It was the first time Cheryl had ever been kissed. She lived a very sheltered life back home. She thought that she would be awkward and mess it up but her body seemed to know what to do. Her hand reached up to Toni’s face and Toni shifted her weight to lay down over Cheryl. Cheryl’s other hand now free from holding up her head moved through Toni’s hair. Toni deepened the kiss, sucking at Cheryl’s lower lip.

 

A giggle broke Cheryl’s concentration. It sounded familiar but it wasn’t Toni’s She broke the kiss, Toni seemed concerned. She tried to examine Cheryl’s face for what was wrong but Cheryl’s gaze was already across the river to the source of the giggle. A blonde haired girl and a red haired boy were pressed up against the trunk of one of the large maple trees. 

 

A very familiar blonde haired girl and red haired boy. Toni followed her gaze and understood her concern. 

 

“We have to go.” Cheryl whispered and Toni nodded. The pair ran from the bank together. 

 

******

 

“I saw you earlier, Cher.” Jason told her that night when she thought he was asleep. She tightened her grip to her duvet.

 

“Yeah?” Cheryl said quietly, preparing herself for the onslaught of abuse.

 

“I won’t tell.” He whispered. 

 

Cheryl will always have him in her corner.

 

**December 1940**

 

It snowed a lot in Riverdale. The snow in the city was salted away fairly quickly so Cheryl never saw too much of it but it _snowed_ in Riverdale. Cheryl had to borrow a pair of Polly’s old boots that were too small for her now because none of her other shoes were too well equipped for the snowy weather. 

 

It didn’t feel like Christmas here, although maybe it was just because of the war. Alice didn’t decorate. She thought it was pointless to decorate for two weeks. Cheryl wasn’t going to argue with Alice on that point, despite really liking the red and green of Christmas. Alice was having a hard time affording Christmas this year. She was relying on Betty’s income for a lot of their groceries. Their neighbours were kind though. The Andrew’s gave them bread a lot since they always made a surplus. 

 

Cheryl got a job as a clerk in the Townshall. It was morning hours so she still had time to see Toni, plus she never had to work weekends. Most of her income went towards her keep and she couldn’t tell Alice no when she was the one sheltering her. She did keep a bit of money aside and she was planning on buying her Christmas presents with it. 

 

She was worried about her present for Toni. Riverdale doesn’t have very many shops so she had to be very creative with what she was getting people. It was easier with Jason, Betty and Polly.  Cheryl just got them clothes, she already knew what would look good on them. She was good at telling what colours would look good on people. Plus Betty and Polly don’t own very many dressy clothes.  They’d be glad to own something nice. Toni was different. Cheryl wanted to get her something special. Cheryl was surprised that she actually liked Toni’s odd mismatched wardrobe, it was unique. Cheryl wouldn’t be able to find anything that would come close to what Toni wore.

 

She ended up at a jewlers in town. An elderly man stood behind the counter polishing off the silver back there. He wore a monocle and gave Cheryl a small smile when she came in. Cheryl smiled back and looked at the jewelry displayed in the glass cabinets.

 

“Do you have anything in mind?” The jewelers asked her. Cheryl looked up at him.

 

“I’m just looking for now.” Cheryl told him and he gave her a small smile before returning to his polishing. 

 

“Let me know if you need anything.”

 

Cheryl walked along the shelves, nothing stood out to her. Nothing seemed like Toni, everything displayed here was so proper. They weren’t for her. Something caught her eye, a gold necklace with a spider charm. There was a red gem embedded in the back of it. Cheryl liked it, it was simple enough but it wasn’t typical like the rest of the necklaces were. It seemed like Toni might like it.

 

Cheryl got the jewelers attention and he charged it. It was £128 but Toni was worth it. He wrapped it for free and Cheryl was pleased with the purchase. 

 

She started to walk back up to the house, wrapping her scarf tighter around her face to help fight against the chilly winter air. 

 

“Hey Blossom.” A voice called from the other side of the road. It was said in a high pitched mocking tone. Cheryl shot her head up and spotted Reggie Mantle walking with Archie. Archie had his eyes on the ground, clearly not wanting to be a part of this exchange. Cheryl rolled her eyes. 

 

“What do you want?” Cheryl asked with her arms crossing over her chest. 

 

“What’s in the bag? You get me something sweet?” 

 

Cheryl wanted to upchuck her breakfast. She decided against acknowledging Reggie and continued on home. 

 

Cheryl heard the rumours about her around town. People seeing her and Toni together drawing their own conclusions about the girls close relationship. Alice never questioned Cheryl on it but she did uncomfortably roll her shoulders when Cheryl came home when Cheryl came home with red marks on her neck. Polly would shift uncomfortably at the table. She had stopped inviting Cheryl to play cards with her. Although that might have something to do with Cheryl never accepting her invitation. 

 

If anyone were to actually find anything incriminating against them Cheryl’s life would be over. She likes Toni, she really does, but she would be risking so much to let the world know that. 

 

Her and Toni met up later that evening to exchange gifts. Cheryl was going to spend Christmas day with her family, so Christmas eve was going to be their day. There was a diner in town that they frequented, Pops. Cheryl arrived first, that wasn’t atypical. Cheryl sat down at the booth at the back, it was their booth. Toni came pretty quick after. She was covered in snow when she came in and had to shake it off at the door. Cheryl smiled at her when she did. She looked goofy with snow piling on her shoulders.

 

She shudders before sliding across from Cheryl. “It’s crazy that this place is open on Christmas eve.” She said in lieu of a greeting. 

 

“Lucky for us, I ordered for you already. Hope you don’t mind.” 

 

Toni smirked. “As long as you got it right I don’t care.”

 

Cheryl laughed. “This is for you.” She slid the bag across the table where Toni grabbed for it. Toni passed over her own small parcel. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string. Cheryl was excited. She undid the bow but kept on eye on Toni to get her reaction.

 

Toni seemingly had the same idea because she hadn’t moved to open the bag. 

“Open it” Cheryl urged excitedly. Toni tutted before doing as she was told and moving the tissue paper aside. 

 

Cheryl unwrapped the box opening it wide. There was two tickets in the. Cheryl was confused. She turned them over, they were train tickets to Hadley. A seaside town about 3 hours over. 

 

“Are we going away?” Cheryl asked eyeing the tickets. Inside the box was also a bag of chocolate buttons and a pair of gold earrings. Cheryl felt Toni’s gift put hers to shame. 

 

“Yeah, in March. There’s a cottage booked as well. No one will know us there. It’ll be just us two.” She told with a coyish smile.

 

Cheryl beamed happily. Her and Toni would get to be together somewhere. 

 

“Can I hug you?” Cheryl asked happily. 

 

“Of course.”  Cheryl slid off her seat and moved around to Toni’s wrapping her arms around the smaller girl, squeezing her tight. Cheryl wished she could kiss the girl, not the polite cheek kisses the nobel ladies do when greeting, but the private kisses she gifts Toni with.  “Now, let me open mine.”

 

Cheryl moved away from Toni but sat next to her in the booth. She watched as Toni unwrapped the box revealing the navy velvet box. Her mouth formed into a little ‘O’ and Cheryl had to fight the urge to kiss her right there and then. She lifted the lid off the box revealing the golden spider with the red gem on it’s back. Cheryl was suddenly extremely nervous that it wasn’t good enough. Not compared to Toni’s generous gift. “Oh Cher, it’s beautiful.” 

 

“Are you sure you like it?” Cheryl asked biting her lip.

 

“Put it on for me.” Toni instructed, turning around so Cheryl could clasp the necklace shut. Cheryl did as told, for had a sad melancholy feeling since all she wanted to do was kiss Toni’s neck once she closed the necklace around her. “How do I look?” Toni asked, turning back around to face Cheryl. The spider hanging between her breasts over her burgundy polo neck sweater. 

 

“Stunning.” It wasn’t a word of a lie.

 

**February 1941**

 

Cheryl thinks that if she had to pick a point where everything went astray it would be sometime during February. Although it wouldn’t be until much later until any real repercussions happened. For about as long as Cheryl snuck around with Toni, Jason snuck around with Polly. Although the pair were not blood relatives it wasn’t exactly something to be proud of. If ever the neighbours were to find out they would quickly become the towns gossip. 

 

They were good at sneaking around, Cheryl thought. Jason never confirmed it verbally to her but she knew full well what Jason was doing with the girl sleeping a bedroom over. If her aunt Alice found out there would be hell to pay. They may not actually be related but it wasn’t exactly people would be happy about. It would be a breach of trust. Alice took them into her home and Jason was fooling around with her unwed daughter.

 

Polly got sick one morning, it was going to be a good morning. They were going to have sausages. A rarity by this stage, even in a town surrounded by farms.The smell didn’t agree with Polly and she heaved it up. Alice was immediately concerned. Sickness was never viewed lightly. She went straight into mother hen mode, she felt for a temperature and checked for a pulse. Polly seemed normal. 

 

Jason was nervous, so was Polly. Cheryl was worried. Betty was confused.

 

She continued with her sickness for the following four days before Alice brought her to a doctor. Polly resisted at first but eventually agreed to it. The doctor told her she was pregnant. Polly cried at the confirmation.

 

Alice didn’t talk for two whole days. 

 

Jason worked on the farm for most of the daylight hours and Betty spent her time out of the house. The air of hostility around the house was too much. Cheryl understood that.

 

Eventually when Alice did speak she informed Polly that they would be raising her baby as her sibling. Polly resisted, she wanted her baby. It ended in a screaming match. Neither party won.

 

“Is it your baby?” Cheryl found herself asking in the dead of night. They left the window open and the February air carried a chilly bite. 

 

She felt the bed shift from Jason turning above her. It nearly felt like he wasn’t there sometimes since she couldn’t see him.

 

“Yes, it is.” He confirmed, his tone low. Cheryl didn’t need the confirmation, she knew already. But the weight of the truth pressed down on her chest. 

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

“I’m going to marry her.”

 

Cheryl stared up at the wood paneling above her head, Jason was right there. If she could see his face she would probably slap him. What a daft boy. “You can’t marry her, you’ll embarrass her even further.” Cheryl quickly reprimanded.

 

“Why would it embarrass her? We aren’t actually related, Cheryl.” She could hear the angry undertone in Jason’s voice. 

 

“People talk Jason. She would be the town pariah.”

 

“Well people talk about you a lot, Cheryl. You think we’re all oblivious” He grumbled. 

 

Cheryl felt her lip tighten and her fists ball. Cheryl  _ is  _ careful. Jason can ramble on about all he wants, she  _ knows  _ no one can prove any of their suspicions. 

 

“I love Polly you should support me on this, even if other people think it’s wrong. I support you.” 

 

Cheryl didn’t answer him, instead she turned in to face the wall and waited for sleep to take her. 

 

*****

Polly and Jason came clean to Alice. They held hands throughout it, like a unit. One solid being in agreement on their goals. Betty and Cheryl listened from the room next door. 

 

Alice cried, she wasn’t happy. She had failed as a mother. Her daughter had gone astray with a boy she welcomed into her home. Who she treated like family, who she was struggling to provide for. She felt like a fool. 

 

She agreed to the wedding. It was less shameful than Polly being an unwed mother. At least this would stop the Blossom boy from deserting her. That’s all men are good for, leaving.

 

She drank a bottle of cooking wine and passed out at the kitchen table. 

 

*****

Polly and Jason got married at the end of the month. It was a nice ceremony. Small. Cheryl was a bridesmaid. Betty’s friend Veronica had designed Polly’s dress, Cheryl begrudgingly agreed that Veronica had an eye for detail because the blonde girl looked exquisite. 

 

Cheryl wondered if it hurt Polly, that her mother didn’t shed a tear at the ceremony. Cheryl wondered if her own mother would shed a tear watching her father hand away their baby girl. Cheryl can’t imagine it happening. Cheryl can’t imagine getting married anymore.

 

When she was a kid she would dream of it. She would have her dolls lined up in chairs watching as she walked down the aisle in a white flowing veil. Her father had gifted her one after catching her using the lace doily as one. She would make Jason play too. Sometimes she’d be marrying him, others he’d be giving her away and on some occasions he was the priest. 

 

She no longer has dreams about flowing satin or floral lace.

 

**March 1941**

“Are you excited?” Toni asked her as they stood at the train station. Cheryl was filled with very different emotions than she was all those months ago.  Cheryl was bouncing on her heels, looking up the tracks for the train to arrive.

 

“Very.” Cheryl admitted with a coy smile. She had her hair pinned back and her new dress on. She wanted to feel nice for the weekend. Not wearing her cousin’s clothes for certain.

 

“I’m excited too.”

 

Cheryl smiled. Sometimes she doubted that this girl was real, she had to be something she concocted. Cheryl didn’t do anything good enough to deserve the angle that stood beside her. Butterflies still swirled in her stomach each time Toni smiled at her. 

 

Cheryl knows she can’t have imagined Toni though. It is impossible to imagine something without a flaw, so completely perfect.

 

*****

The cottage Toni had rented for them for the weekend was quaint. It had one bedroom and the kitchen and living room was one big space. There was a large wood burning fire in the centre of the room, the flute going straight up to the roof. It was only a five minute walk from the beach and they had no immediate neighbours. It was remote, secluded. 

 

It was just the two of them. 

 

Cheryl felt as though she could finally relax. There was a weight on her shoulders that was suddenly lifted. 

 

“What do we do now?” Cheryl asked as she walked into the kitchen, placing her case down on the table. 

 

“Anything you want.” Toni was stood in the doorway, having not yet entered the kitchen. 

 

Cheryl smirked and met Toni in the doorway. Toni smiled back at her, sensing where this might be going. Toni grabbed Cheryl’s face and pulled her closer. Cheryl wrapped her arms around Toni’s waist and leaned in until their lips met. 

 

There was something exciting about it, Cheryl knew this was wrong yet here she was. 

 

It was also pretty saddening. Despite the shame around Jason and Polly they could still be seen together, they can walk down the road hand in hand. They can raise a family.

 

All Cheryl can have are secret trips away and stolen glances in the streets.

 

Later that evening they lay together in the bed. The windows open, the cool sea breeze blowing into the room. Cheryl was curled in on Toni. She had never felt closer to her. When she was with Toni her heart left her chest and moved to her sleeve. Toni was smoking, passing the cigarette to Cheryl between every few puffs. Cheryl wasn’t very good at smoking and let out little coughs after she drew in each time. Toni laughed and tried to couch her how to do it correctly. 

 

“I wish I could have kids.”  Cheryl whispered, as she drew tiny circles onto Toni’s exposed stomach with her fingers. 

 

Toni’s brow furrowed as she blew out more smoke, “Why can’t you?”

 

Cheryl shrugged. “If I want to be happy, I mean. I’ll never have kids.” 

 

She’d been thinking about it a lot since Polly got pregnant. Cheryl would never get to grow a life inside of her, to nestle a baby to her breast, to be a mother. Not that she’d know how to do it, her own mother was never very motherly. 

 

“You’ll live a full life with kids or without kids.” Toni told her, pulling Cheryl closer to her. Cheryl absorbed the heat she gave off. 

 

*****

“I don’t know much about your family.” Cheryl told Toni as she skipped rocks along the calm waves. There was a chill in the air, it was only March. Both girls were barefoot as the cold sea water splashed up against them. 

 

Toni looked over at her confused, Cheryl had a look of deep concentration about her as she picked up the smoothest stone she could find.

 

“I told you, they don’t talk to me.” Toni shrugged as she threw the rock into the sea. It splashed, not skipping once.

 

“Yeah I know. But like, why? Because you like girls?” Cheryl asked.

 

“Pretty much. They’re like super religious. When they heard about me kissing a girl they told me not to come home. My dad didn’t want me corrupting my little sisters.”

 

“You have sisters?” Cheryl asked.

 

“Yeah, 4. Three younger, one older. Dad wanted a son but he got five girls.” Toni tossed another stone.

 

“I think my father would’ve preferred if I was a boy. They tried again after me and JJ. Mother miscarried at 4 months. The doctor said she wouldn’t be able to have anymore kids. Daddy blames Mother for it, he gets drunk and screams at her about it.”

 

“That’s rough.”

 

Cheryl shrugged, she stopped feeling bad for her mother a long time ago.

 

“Do you miss your sisters?” Cheryl asked.

 

“I guess. I’d say dad has them brainwashed by now though.”

 

Cheryl frowned. 

*****

“We should stay here forever.” Cheryl whispered on the eve of their last night. 

 

“I wish we could.” Toni agreed, she was playing with Cheryl’s hand. 

 

“We should run away together, somewhere far away from Riverdale and the city. If no one knows who we are how can they talk about us. Make things hard for us.” Cheryl suggested.

 

“If only.” Toni lamented. 

 

“I don’t want to hide this anymore.” Cheryl whispered. “I don’t care what anyone thinks. I want to be able to do stuff with you”

 

“Hmmm.” Toni mused. “What kind of stuff do you want to do?”

 

“I want to be able to hold your hand when we walk down the road, I want to be able to kiss you in daylight, I want to bring you to family dinners.” Cheryl whispered glumly. 

 

“That sounds idealistic, huh, Bombshell.” Toni didn’t seem sold on Cheryl’s new idea.

 

“It’s not fair.” Cheryl whispered. 

 

“Nothing good ever is. They’d run us out of town if they saw us holding hands, or god forbid kissing.”

 

Cheryl felt a different type of sadness. 

  
  


**April 1941**

Cheryl came in from work and saw Polly angry crying in the front of the house. Seeing the blonde girl crying wasn’t too out of sorts at this stage. She had been doing it a lot over the last couple of weeks.

 

“What wrong?” Cheryl asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. Polly was cradling the tiny little bump that was peeking out of her gown. 

 

“Ask your brother.” She bit angrily before storming off to her room. 

 

Cheryl scoffed at her behaviour. 

 

Cheryl was sharing a room with Betty now since Jason and Polly moved into a room together. It made sense since they were married. Still Cheryl missed knowing Jason was right there with her. Betty wasn’t happy about the arrangement either but neither girl vocalised it. 

 

Cheryl tossed her bag onto the sofa before moving into the back of the house to find Jason sitting at the table with his head in his hands. Red hair ruffled. He seemed deep in thought.

 

“Why’s the wife crying?” Cheryl asked leaning against the door frame. Jason looked up at her through the corner of his eyes. He sighed.

 

“I joined the reserves.” He grumbled. Cheryl’s heart fell to her stomach. Jason joined the army? He wasn’t allowed do that. He couldn’t leave her. 

 

“What? But your aren’t nineteen yet?” Cheryl blubbered. She didn’t understand. This doesn’t make sense. 

 

“Polly is having twins. We can’t afford them on the farms earnings.” He sighed. “I need to do this, Cher. I have to provide for my family.”

 

“You can’t provide for them if you die.” Cheryl argued. 

 

“I don’t have another choice Cheryl! No one in this town will hire me!”

 

Cheryl bit back tears. She felt a sudden understanding of why Betty and Polly were crying so hard when Hal got deployed. The fear that something bad could happen didn’t feel real until it was someone she cared about. “Promise me.” She ordered.

 

“What?”

 

“Promise me you’ll come back.” A stray tear rolled down her cheeks.

 

Jason squeezed his eyes shut and let out a breath. He nodded, looking up at Cheryl. Cheryl nodded back at him, her entire world felt like it had been turned upside down. “I promise.”

 

Cheryl hugged him tight. She wondered what might of happened if she never let go.

 

By the end of the month Jason was off fighting in the frontline and Cheryl was left to worry. 

 

**May 1941**

There was a knock on the door. Cheryl was helping Betty prepare a dessert for after dinner. Neither girl really spoke to one another but they worked well together as a silent team of sorts. Cheryl rolled out the crust whilst Betty boiled and sweetened apples. Cheryl wiped her hands on Alice’s apron that she was wearing before heading to the main door.

 

She was floored by who stood there. In taught red fabric and a dainty black petticoat. Hair upturned in a loop with a red cloche concealing most of it.

 

“Mother.” Cheryl greeted, confusion evident in her tone. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

 

She scoffed and pushed past Cheryl into the house. “Well when I heard word that your brother was  married  and off fighting in this ludicrous war of course I had to come down.”

 

Cheryl trailed after her as she made her way in through the house. Betty stood confused watching from the kitchen doorway. Penelope looked both Betty and Cheryl up and down. 

 

“I should have thought to bring you more clothes.” She commented to herself looking at Cheryl’s ensemble. Cheryl felt suddenly conscious of her outfit. She liked it, she bought it herself with her own money. “I take it you're Elizabeth, where’s your mother?” She directed to Betty.

 

Betty wide eyed and confused stood there, her mouth agape, like a fish out of water. “She’s down in the neighbours, the Jones’s.” she finally spat out. 

 

“Will she be long, this is an urgent matter? I have a train to catch home later this evening.” 

 

Betty’s lip was thin and her eyes seemed unrecognisable to Cheryl. “I’ll go fetch her.” 

 

She unlaced her flour stained apron and hung it over the back of the chair. She went out the backdoor and went on her bicycle across town to the Jones residence. Leaving Cheryl and her mother.

 

“Did you even try to talk him out of it?” She asked Cheryl with an exasperated look about her.

 

Cheryl was unsure if she meant the wedding or the war, she nodded regardless. “Well I guess that’s something.” She opened up her purse and pulled out a cigarette. Alice doesn’t like smoking in the kitchen. She shoves Betty’s boyfriend out each time he tries. She light it and blew her first breath at Cheryl. Cheryl coughed and sputtered a bit.

 

“I wanted to take you two home. I can see that this place has done no good for either of you but your father is against it.”

 

Cheryl doesn’t think she wants to go home anymore. 

 

“If father thinks it’s safer here, then I suppose I should stay.” 

 

Penelope made a noise of disagreement and turned her attention to the only photograph that hung in the kitchen, of Hal, Alice, Polly and Betty. “Your uncle never held the same values we do. It was a mistake in thinking his wife would be any different. All she’s doing is corrupting you.”

 

It was after that Alice strolled back up with a wild look about her. Cheryl was surprised, Alice’s emotions had been a bit all over the place in recent months though.

 

“Penelope Blossom I want you out of my kitchen!” She ordered. 

 

It never even struck Cheryl that the two might be familiar with each other, despite being common law sisters. “Not until we talk, Alice.” Penelope had a sickeningly sweet way she went about saying things. It was clearly dipped in poison though, 

 

“I have nothing to say to you. I want you gone!” Alice pointed at the door, there was a vein in her neck that seemed ready to pop. 

 

“Where is my son, Alice? You were supposed to protect them and now he is gone. Off on the frontlines, expendable.”

 

Cheryl felt uncomfortable. She didn’t know where she stood on this matter.

 

“I hope your  _ son  _ is nothing more than  a weak line of defence after what he did to my daughter. She was educated, she could have done something. Now she’s shoehorned into the role of a mother. Kind of like his father in that sense isn’t he.”

 

Cheryl felt sick. She didn’t like the way Alice said son. Like she was disgusted to even have the word in her mouth. 

 

“Maybe you should’ve ensured your daughter wasn’t some floozy, I’m sure she’d spread her legs for anyone. He did the nobel thing, my Jason. Marrying her. Lord knows no one else would if she’s worn out goods.”

 

“Get out of my home, now!” Alice ordered. “If you so much as step a foot in here again, I won’t hesitate to shoot you right between the eyes. We both know I would.”

 

“This is preposterous. Come along, Cheryl You shan’t stay here any further.” Penelope grabbed Cheryl’s wrist and pulled her towards the door.

 

Cheryl didn’t want to leave. She liked Riverdale. She needed to say something to Toni before she left.  She had to let the girl know where she was going. 

 

“But father doesn’t think it’s safe for me there.” Cheryl countered, unconsciously taking a small step away from her mother. Penelope took note of that and folded her arms across her chest, she hated when Cheryl made her out to be a monster.

 

“Never mind what your father says. I am your mother and you shall does as I say.” Penelope instructed, clear. There was no room for argument Cheryl bowed her head and folded her arms. She felt small. 

 

“Mother, she can’t make her leave.” Betty argued pulling at Alice’s sleeve. 

 

As much as Cheryl and Betty were merely a source of company for each other, not great company but company nonetheless, Betty would be completely alone if her cousin returned home. Her mother was unresponsive half the time and her sister was grieving over her husband fighting in a war. 

 

“She’ll do whatever she wants. That’s what Blossom’s do. They take Betty. They take your money, they take your children, they take their innocence. You can’t say you are surprised.” Alice huffed, hardening her glare on Penelope. 

 

Betty was crestfallen. “Do you want to leave?” She asked Cheryl.

 

Cheryl’s mother gripped her arm tightly pulling her towards the exit. Cheryl was afraid to answer, her mother wouldn’t be happy to learn Cheryl was actually enjoying herself out here. Cheryl herself was surprised that she was.

 

Cheryl shook her head silently. Betty looked at her mother with big eyes, pleading for her to do something. “Anytime today Penelope.” Alice told her before retreating into the kitchen. 

 

There was loud banging at the front door. They were constant. Penelope’s grip on Cheryl haltered and Cheryl used that moment to retrieve her arm.

Cheryl was scared at the door. This was new. People seldom called for them. “Quick you need to take cover!” The anxious voice called from the otherside of the door. Betty quickly opened the door to reveal a sweat covered Archie Andrews. He had clearly just sprinted here from his home. 

 

Alice appeared back in the doorway. “The sheriff.” Archie huffed. “He just called it, there are bomber planes flying in soon. They’re low.”

 

Alice’s eyes widened. Worry clear on her face, “Betty get your sister.” 

 

Betty did as instructed. “My dad has a shelter, you’re to go there.” Archie ordered before sprinting up further, to spread the word no doubt. Alice quickly began to grab things from the kitchen. Cheryl ran into her room to find her mask. She had seldom used it before, the thought of actually having to put it on her scared her. 

 

“Cheryl!” Her mother called but Cheryl paid her no mind.  She grabbed Jason’s letter off her locker. He had only been able to send them one so far. There was two letters in the envelope, one for her and one for Polly. She shoved it in the pocket of her coat before running to the others in the hall. Her mother seemed frozen to her spot. 

 

“Come on.” Cheryl told her. As she followed Alice, Betty and Polly as they ran to the Andrew’s.

 

“Cheryl we can’t go with them.” She told her, her voice wavering. Cheryl could see the tears building in her eyes.

 

“We have to. Come on.” Cheryl ordered and began to run. 

 

“Cheryl, they don’t want us here.” Penelope countered, reaching out to grab her daughter. 

 

Cheryl never turned to look back. “I don’t care, we have to take cover.”

 

Penelope never showed up to the Andrew’s bomb shelter. Alice even seemed concerned when Fred sealed the door shut and the Blossom woman was unaccounted for. Cheryl was surprised at how many people could fit in the small bunker Fred had made himself. There had to be about 20 other people here. It was squishy and their certainly wasn’t enough food for them all but they were all safe for the time being. 

 

Cheryl thought about a lot of things, she thought about her mother still up in the farm house. She wondered if she had managed to find shelter somewhere else. That she was smart enough to ask for help.  Cheryl hoped her pride allowed for that. She thought about JJ facing this near death every other day. She wondered if one could ever get used to the dread she feels in her stomach. She thought about Toni. She thought about the girl having no family. She thought about the girl having no one to warn her about the planes. She thought about the girl being panicked trying to find shelter amid planes flying overhead. She thought about finding the girl’s charred body on the side of the road. She thought about having to identify her body to the coroner by the small minute details of her body that only she would know. 

 

Suddenly she felt sick. Her worry for her own life was suddenly replace with the thought of the other girl being alone out there. What if she was all alone? 

 

Cheryl bolted towards the door. She had to get out of here. 

 

“What are you doing?” Fred Andrews asked her angrily before she could even reach the door. His arms wrapped around her waist lifting her away from the door. Cheryl began to kick at him, hitting her hands against his in an attempt to escape. It didn’t falter him in the least.

 

“I can’t stay here!” Cheryl sobbed trying to break his grip. “She’s all alone.”

 

“Cheryl, calm down.” Alice’s voice told her. Cheryl’s eyes were shut tight, she couldn’t see her. 

 

She felt her fingers on her chin forcing Cheryl to look up. Cheryl opened her eyes and look at the older woman. Her gaze was hard. Cheryl felt the urge to cringe under it  “She’s all alone.” Cheryl repeated, quieter this time. Sadder.

 

Alice’s features softened and she sighed. She pulled Cheryl into her arms, Fred releasing his steel grip.  “I’m sorry that I fought with your mother. Maybe if I hadn’t she would be here.” Alice whispered to her. Cheryl could feel her moving them towards a secluded space. 

 

Cheryl shook her head. “Not mother.” Cheryl whispered. 

 

Alice didn’t say anything else. Alice didn’t want to know anything. Instead she pulled them girl close and rubbed her back until her sobbing seized. 

*****

It ended up being a false alarm. No bombs, no gas, no casualties. It did however give Cheryl a very real sense of what she had to lose. She couldn’t lose Toni. It feels like she had just found her. She just wants to find her and to hold her.

 

She wants to have her close and never let her go again. It sounds a bit obsessive, but Cheryl can’t help it. She just needs to see Toni. She needed to know she was okay.

It didn’t take long to find the girl. She was walking down main street with her tall friend. The pair were looking in each of the shop windows seeing if any of them were open. (None were, they were all just coming out of hiding.)

 

“Toni.” Cheryl called, picking up them hem of her skirt before running towards the shorter girl. Toni quickly turned around to see Cheryl running towards her. “Are you okay?” Cheryl quickly scanned over the girl for injuries.

 

“Yeah, we’re just starved. Nowhere is open.” Toni grumbled. “Are  _ you  _ okay? You seem very flustered.” Toni’s arm reached out to rub Cheryl’s. At the simple touch, Cheryl surged forward grabbing her arms around Toni’s neck pulling her close.

 

“I was so worried about you.” Cheryl whispered into the crook of Toni’s neck. Toni was surprised at how close Cheryl was willing to be in public with her.

 

Sweet Pea rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Cheryl noticed and pulled away from Toni, keeping close to her. 

 

“I’m fine. There’s no need to worry.”

 

Cheryl still couldn’t steady the way her heart was beating unsteadily in her chest. 

 

When she arrived home later that evening Alice informed her that her mother had returned home and would not be visiting anytime soon. Cheryl didn’t feel all too sad.

 

**June 1941**

 

It was late at night, they were in the middle of an early summer heatwave. Betty and Cheryl had the windows of the room open as wide as they could but the heat still hung around them. Cheryl lay on top of the blankets in the hopes she could cool off. 

 

Neither her nor Betty could fall asleep. Which was odd because during the day the pair had been so sluggish but and nearly asleep but at night surrounded by the heat both girls were too uncomfortable to sleep. 

 

“Cheryl?” Betty asked. 

 

“Hmm.” Cheryl grunted. She tried to tossed closer to the stonewall in the hopes it would cool her down.

 

“Can I ask you something?” 

 

Cheryl furrowed her brow. “What?” She asked. She made a point to sound grumpy despite being pretty curious. 

 

“Are you like Toni?” She asked.

 

Cheryl froze. Her heart stopped. She didn’t know where this conversation would go. She doesn’t know where Betty’s intentions are. 

 

“What do you mean?” Cheryl asked. 

 

“People say Toni- well that she likes girls. I hear people say the same about you. Maybe it’s not true, I don’t know.”

Cheryl didn’t speak. 

 

“My friend Veronica says that she does.” Betty continued. “And that scares me.”

 

“Why does it scare you?” Cheryl asked. At least if they could talk about Veronica she wouldn’t have to talk about herself. 

 

“I don’t know. It’s not normal. And Polly says it’s sick with Toni and people say it’s sick with you and I care about V so much. I don’t want people to talk bad about her.”

 

Betty’s voice was small. 

 

“Then maybe stop letting them.” Cheryl suggested. Maybe if people didn’t let people like Polly talk as much as they did then things would be easier. 

 

“Then what would they think about me?”

 

“Who cares what people think.”

**July 1941**

Cheryl gripped at the sheets of Toni’s bed tighter, and tighter. They were rough against her skin, not dissimilar to her own in Alice’s house. Her bed back in her house back in London were soft and silky, smooth against her skin. She liked Toni’s though. They smelled like her. Like the borax soap chips that Sweet Pea’s mother washed her sheets with and vanilla essence. It was one of the few times Cheryl got to go into Toni’s house.

 

Well tin shed. She lived with her friend Sweet Pea’s family. Toni was clear that they weren’t supportive of her  _ lifestyle  _ but they chose to turn a blind eye to it. Toni’s bed wasn’t even Toni’s bed. She shared it with Sweet Pea’s younger sister, Lou. 

 

Thankfully they were away for the week. Taking a Summer break to the sea-side. Cheryl envied them but she was grateful to have actual alone time with Toni. Normally they had to be a little more careful when they were together, afraid that someone might spot them and suspect they may be a little more than friends. 

 

It was nice to have some privacy. Cheryl thought it felt so domestic, like they were grown-ups playing house. Preparing meals for each other and sharing a bed together. 

 

“Happy birthday, Cher.” Toni told her, her breath hot against Cheryl’s bare skin as Cheryl’s grip on the sheets laxed. 

 

Her hair was ruffled against the sheets, slipping in front of her face. She crawled up from her position under the sheets and lay down next to Cheryl.  Cheryl steadied her breath and kissed Toni’s lips. Still glistening. 

 

“I liked my present.” She told her, as she reached forward to fix Toni’s tossed up hair. 

 

Toni smirked. “I heard.” She teased, Cheryl rolled her eyes. “But that wasn’t your present.”

 

Cheryl’s brow furrowed. “You got me something?” She asked confused. 

 

Toni smiled and slipped out of the bed. Cheryl felt her side cold from where Toni left despite the summer heat baking inside the tin house. Cheryl sat up in the bed, her hair teased up from the pillow. The sheets fell off her, exposing her bare chest. 

 

Cheryl watched as Toni’s frame as she made her way to the small closet by the bed. Her eyes trailed over every curve and slope of her body. She pulled out a bag and presented it to Cheryl. She climbed up from the end of the bed and sat before Cheryl. 

 

“You didn’t have to get me anything, T.T.” Cheryl told her, but she was already digging into the bag, tossing the tissue paper to the side. At the end of the box was a green velvet box. “Is it jewellery?” Cheryl asked. 

 

“Open it.” Toni urged. Cheryl did. She pushed the lock of lava that fell in front of her face behind her ear. 

 

Cheryl opened up the box, that revealed a broche. It was a spider, not dissimilar to the one Cheryl gifted her. He had a dark gold body and a red gem embedded in its back. It’s gem was sizable, about as big as Cheryl’s thumb. It definitely cost Toni a pricey sum. 

 

“Toni.” Cheryl said, awestruck. 

 

“Now we’re matching.” Toni said, holding her own little spider that hung around her neck. Cheryl hadn’t seen her take it off since she put it on her on Christmas Eve. 

 

“I love you.” Cheryl said. Despite being with Toni for nearly 8 months, they never professed their love for one another.

 

“I love you too, Cheryl.”

Cheryl clasped the box shut, placing it on Cheryl’s bedside table and wrapped her arms around Toni’s neck, pulling her closer to her body. 

 

*****

Cheryl arrived back home after her three day rendezvou in Toni’s for the weekend. Sweet Pea’s family would be arriving home soon and Cheryl thought it best to be gone before then. Plus Alice would be curious if Cheryl was gone for too long. 

 

The air in the house was still when she arrived. It was Monday afternoon, she came home straight away after finishing her day at the townhall. Polly sat at the kitchen table eyes red, a hand gripping her stomach. Alice sat next to her, a hand resting on Polly’s back. Betty was walking out of the kitchen and met Cheryl in the hall as Cheryl shut the door over. 

 

Betty’s eyes were rimmed red and her nose was rosy. Cheryl immediately knew something was wrong. Betty faltered when she saw her. “Oh, Cheryl.” 

 

“What’s going on?” Cheryl asked, placing her handbag down on the floor. 

 

Alice’s eyes caught her from where she sat in the kitchen through the open kitchen door. There was pity in her eyes. Why was their pity?

 

Where they going to kick her out? Did someone tell her the knitty-gritty details of what she did with Toni? She couldn’t possibly want her in her house anymore. Oh, god. 

 

But why was Polly crying? What was going on?

 

“Cheryl. Come sit down here.” Alice told her, nodding to the seat across from her. 

 

Cheryl gave her and Betty a confused look but listened to what they told her to do. 

 

“I’m so sorry, dear.” She said, she passed her a yellow envelope across the table. 

 

Cheryl didn’t like being called  _ dear.  _ It felt so patronising. Cheryl turned the envelope over to open it when she realised it was a telegram.Her heart stopped. There was no way this was good news. She didn’t even need to open it to know that. She opened it up and her eyes glanced over the tight cursive. 

 

Alice reached across the table to grab her hands but Cheryl shot up. Everything felt tight. Her chest felt constricted.  “I have to go.” She told no on in particular. 

*****

Cheryl’s knuckled wrapped against the door of Sweet Pea’s tin shed. If she had any sense she wouldn’t be here, she shouldn’t be here. Toni doesn’t like her being there when Sweet Pea’s family was there. Cheryl respected that. She’d feel the same if she was around the Coopers. 

 

But Cheryl had nowhere else to go. She needed her. She needed Toni to hold her. To ground her. She was about to fall apart and she wanted Toni to catch her. 

 

Thankfully it was Sweet Pea who opened the door, he wasn’t very fond of Cheryl but he was fond of Toni. He wouldn’t turn her away. He had a bottle of beer in his hand, Cheryl was surprised he managed to get his hands on one. “I need Toni” Cheryl told him. She didn’t have to say anything else because Sweet Pea gave her a silent nod before calling out for Toni. 

 

She was quick to come to the door and was immediately confused and concerned to see Cheryl at the door. “Cher? What’s going on?”

 

“Can you come out for a bit?” Cheryl asked quietly. She wrapped her arms around herself, despite it being sweltering out. 

 

“Of course,” Toni said. She grabbed her shoes and shut the door behind her. The pair walked side-by-side down the beaten dirt track, walking towards town. 

 

Cheryl let out a shaky breath, her eyes filling with tears. She cast her gaze up at the sky. 

 

“Jason died last week.” She finally said. Once it was said aloud it seemed almost permanent. Like it was real. She let out a small cry, she quickly masked it with a giggle. The tears still fell. Toni’s face fell. 

 

“Oh, Cher.” She said. She stopped in her tracks., 

 

“This is the first time I said it out loud.” Cheryl admitted. “It still doesn’t feel like real life.”

 

“I’m so so sorry, Cheryl.” Toni reached over to hold her hand. Cheryl accepted it.

 

“He promised me he would come back.”Cheryl whimpered, before turning into Toni. Toni wrapped her arms around her and hugged her closer. 

 

“I’m sorry.” Toni repeated as she rubbed down Cheryl’s hair. 

 

“I won’t even get to bury his body. I won’t get to see him again. He’s rotting in some field somewhere in France.”

 

Toni didn’t know what to say so instead she shushed her and rubbed Cheryl’s hair as she swayed them both side to side.

**August 1941**

 

“When we were kids, my grandmother used to take J.J. and I down to the creak near our house.” Cheryl told her. They were sitting on a picnic blanket along the banks of Sweetwater River. Toni had packed them a lunch. Ham, Cheese and Lettuce sandwiches, lemonade and apples. Cheryl was impressed. Apples were an even bigger rarity than back in October when she first met Sweet Pea. 

 

Toni leaned back against the grass and listened to Cheryl talk. Sweet and melodic.

 

“He taught me how to swim, he was a natural. No one had to teach him, he just took to the water. He used to play water polo. I was never any good at those kind of sports.”

 

Toni smirked imagining a young Cheryl learning how to swim in a creak. She seems nearly too prim and proper to have been swimming in a creak. A small red-haired girl spluttering and splashing in the water as her brother guided her along. 

 

“Mother and father were always so proud of him. He was their darling baby boy. Father would brag about each of his accomplishments to everyone who’d listen. J.J. didn’t even like it. He hated being the centre of attention.”

 

“Has someone told your parents?” Toni asked. The next of kin telegram went to Polly, not their parents.

 

Cheryl shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not going to be the one though.”

 

Toni nodded understandingly.

 

“I think I’m ready.” Cheryl said after a beat. 

 

Toni stood up and helped Cheryl stand up. Cheryl picked up the box she had brought with them. She had brought it with her. It was filled with a few of Jason’s things. It was Cheryl’s compromise for a funeral. On the front of the box was a picture of him, it wasn’t too recent but it’s the best she could do. 

 

Cheryl walked down to the banks of the river and set the box in it. The speed of the rapids was enough to lift the box from it’s spot. Cheryl watched as it drifted down stream. Toni wrapped her arm around Cheryl’s side and Cheryl leaned into it. 

 

“Bye J.J.” She whispered. 

*****

 

Polly barged into her room that evening. She didn’t even try and knock on the door. Cheryl sat up on her bed confused. She rested the book she was reading on her dresser on made eye contact with Polly she seemed furious. That can’t be good for the babies.

 

“You had no right to take his stuff, Cheryl.” She spat, bitterly. Cheryl hated the way her name sounded coming out of her mouth. 

 

“No right? He was my brother. I have as much right as you do, more even.” Cheryl retaliated. 

 

“He was my husband. You should at least tell me first before you go and take his stuff. Where did you even put them?”

 

Cheryl scoffed at the husband comment. “They’re gone, so it doesn’t matter.” Cheryl grumbled. She tried to push past Polly, she wasn’t going to be held prisoner in her own bedroom. Polly’s swollen belly blocked her exit. 

 

“That’s all you’ve done since you got here, Cheryl.” She bit. Cheryl folded her arms over her chest and raised a brow. “Take.”

 

“Oh, really?” Cheryl challenged. 

 

“Yeah, you took my room, you took my sister and now you’ve taken my husbands stuff to do” She paused before erupting with, “God knows what with. You probably sold it.”

 

“Don’t you dare say I’ve taken anything from you.” Cheryl barked, she poked a finger forcefully into Polly’s chest, hoping to catch her breath. “If it wasn’t for you Jason would never have had to join the reserves. He’d still be here if we never had to come here.”

 

“I wish you never had to come here! You came here and messed everything up.” She cried back. Her hormones betraying her and forcing tears into her eyes. “I’m widowed at 18. My life is basically over, I’m going to end up like my mother and here you are saying that it’s all on me. Fuck you, Cheryl.”

 

“Can you stop with this pity party you’ve been throwing for yourself all month? You haven’t even known him a year. You can’t miss someone you hardly knew.” 

 

“You can never know the love we had, Cheryl. Your kind can never feel love. You’re sick, I could never expect you to understand.” Polly cried, her tears pouring down. 

 

“My kind? You know nothing about me, Polly. You’ve never once tried. So just leave me be and keep to yourself.” Cheryl sneered. She walked into Polly’s shoulder on her way out. She didn’t care about her. 

**October 1941**

 

Cheryl stormed out of the house. Polly had given birth last night and Betty had just informed her that she did not want Cheryl near the babies. It infuriated her. Cheryl shared more blood with those babies than Betty did yet Betty got to be godmother and help with their feeds as Polly lay hidden behind her bedroom door. If Jason was here he would never have allowed that, but Jason wasn’t here and Polly was bitter over Cheryl’s ‘funeral’ for Jason. 

 

She hadn’t even realised she was charging to the bar until to pushed the doors open. Men whistled as she walked passed and normally she wouldn’t stand for that but right now she was on a mission. She spotted Toni behind the bar, she was serving a man. Cheryl waited for her to finish, Toni had caught her gaze and gave her a confused look but finished serving before she turned to her. 

 

“Cher, why are you here?” She asked. Her eyes looked at the entrances for clues as to why she was here. 

 

“When do you finish?” Cheryl asked, instead of answering. 

 

“In thirty minutes. Cheryl, what is happening?” Toni looked concerned. 

 

“I’m going to leave here. I can’t stay in this stupid town anymore. Runaway with me?” She asked. 

 

Toni’s brow shot up. “Cher, are you being serious right now?” 

 

“Extremely. Look I’m going with or without you, I just can’t stay in that house anymore.”

 

Toni frowned. She seemed so upset. “Cheryl, I can’t leave. Just think for a moment. What money do you have? Where would you stay? Who’s to say somewhere else is better?”

 

Cheryl sighed. “I need to leave, Toni. If this is goodbye, then goodbye but please don’t say goodbye.”

 

“Cheryl, you can’t ask me to do this.”

 

Cheryl looked down at the red oak floor and let a sigh out. “Goodbye, Toni.”

 

*****

“Cheryl, you are seventeen. You aren’t going anywhere.” Alice protested when she spotted Cheryl pulling her cases out of the house. 

 

“Aunt Alice, we both know you aren’t fond of me and my family. Think of this as a blessing.”

 

“A blessing, huh? What do you want me to say to your parents when they ask me where you are? This is your home, Cheryl.”

 

“I don’t have a home, Aunt Alice.”

 

“No, that is not true and you know that.”

 

Did she? Did she, really? Was this ever truly her home.

 

“I’m going and you can’t stop me.” Cheryl argued. 

 

“Fine, but when you want to come back your room will be here.” Alice told her with a sigh. 

 

Cheryl smirked, she had won. 

 

She left the house and followed the beaten down track to the train station. It felt shorter than it had ever been before. When she walked it over a year back it felt like it had taken forever, as Cheryl was thrust into this new world, Jason by her side, and when she came with Toni it felt like a lifetime. Every moment she was with Toni felt larger than life. She soaks in her every detail, examines her intensely. She can’t spare a single moment.

 

Cheryl wrapped her arms around herself. She had never been alone before. Even now with Jason gone she had never truly been  _ alone. _ She bit her lip as the train station came into view. She was really going to be alone. 

 

She’ll have to start her life all over again. She won’t have her parents. She won’t have Jason. She won’t have Toni. Cheryl ignored the tugging on her heart, pulling her towards the Wyrm. The one that wanted to wrap itself around the shorter girl and never let go. 

 

But she can’t stay here. This town is like a curse. For everything good it gives it takes away one. 

 

She bought a ticket travelling south. Down towards the sunny beach-side village that she had vacationed at not so long ago. Except it wouldn’t be the warm sun beating down on her and the quaint little cottage and the arms of her best friend holding her close at night. Cheryl doesn’t know what it will be.

 

She thinks that might be what she wants. 

 

She watched the hands on the clock tick down to expected arrival of the train. The station was empty save for her and the ticket seller. The rotting wood platform was spliterning up. 

 

What would she do know? She had limited funds. Not enough to buy a house but certainly enough to get a small shed on a farmers land. She might even have enough space to grow her own food. She had always been interested in that. This might not be all bad. 

 

The train pulled into the stations, letting out a loud whistle. Cheryl gripped the handle of her back and let out a shaky breath, this was it. She was on her own. 

 

“Cheryl!” A voice called.

 

And Cheryl was surprised at the relief she felt. She wasn’t ready to be alone. 

 

Cheryl turned around and spotted Toni running up the beaten trail, dust swarming around her, sticking to her face. Normally Cheryl would laugh at this, at how Toni always managed to get dirty but she was so surprised and happy (and relieved) to see that she couldn’t say anything other than stare at her with her mouth agape. 

 

“Wait! I’m coming with you!” Toni declared . Cheryl took note of the small carrier bag Toni had with her. 

 

“You are?” Cheryl asked surprised, the trains engine was letting off smoke. With the assist of the October breeze, it was making both of the girls fly around their heads wildly.

 

“I was thinking after you left what I would do if you were gone, and I realised I don’t care if I’m not in Riverdale. I only care that I’m with you.”

 

“I only want to be with you, too.” Cheryl admitted. A hand came up to caress Toni’s face. 

 

Cheryl didn’t realise that she leant into kiss Toni. It felt so natural. It didn’t last very long. It was passionate and sweet and Cheryl felt like she was floating. She nearly didn’t remember that they were in public until the conductor coughed and called “ _ last call _ ”

 

Cheryl blushed and Toni bit her lip to hide her smirk. Cheryl wondered if Betty felt like this when she kissed Jughead goodbye in town each day. Cheryl didn’t care about the eyes on her, she only cared about the eyes in front of her.

 

“Are you sure?” Cheryl asked her and Toni gave her a nod. 

 

The train let out another whistle as it pulled out of the station. 

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this in the summer because I wanted to write a long oneshot but I had no real plot but it is kind of like snipits of the month that Cheryl feels are important to her life in Riverdale I guess.
> 
> If people like period pieces I have an idea for an arranged marraige AU that might be a couple of chapters or a very long oneshot. 
> 
> Also if people like my married onshot au there should be another of those out in the next couple of days/weeks


End file.
